Apparatus for electroplating



G. T: AND K. T. POTTHOFF. APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING.

, APPLICATION FILED NOV- 4 I9I5. 1,319,029.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

.. INVIEgTORS A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

G. T. AND K. T. POTTHOFF.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTBOPLATING. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1915.

Patented Oct: 14, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A TTORNE Y G. T. AND K. T. POTTHOFF. APPARATUS FOR mcmommme.

Patented Oct-.14

3 SHEETSSHEET a.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERHARD T. POTTHOFE AND KURT T. POTTHOFF, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct 14, 1919.

Application filed November 4, 1915. Serial No. 59,501.

'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GERHARI) T. Po'r'r- HOFF and KURT T. Po'r'rHoFr, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, havejointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Electroplating, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electro-plating apparatus for commercial use on a large scale and the object is to provide means to permit the ready electro-plating of a number of articles simultaneously, whereby said articles may be readily immersed in and removed from the electrolyte or bath, and

' our invention has particular reference to galvanizing, by the electrodeposit of zinc, a

plurality of pipes simultaneously, as for conduits to contain electric conductors; a

further object is to improve the quality ofthe manufactured product, to provide greater durability and uniformity of platmg, and to accomplish the purposes -more economically than heretofore.

This improved apparatus, when used to plate tubes and pipes, includes, a tank, preferably in the form of a quadrilateral, of suitable dimensions. Said tank is supplied with a suitable electrolytic liquid, and has a conveyer or endless belt continuously advancing andextending within the tank. The links of said conveyer carry tapering spindles each adapted to enter the end of-a pipe or tube and snugly fit therein; the pipe is thus supported transversely in its passage through the tank. The spindles are suitably spaced apart and project in such manner as to immerse the articles to be plated in the solution. The free end of each pipe may be closed by a plug formed of or equippedv with'magnetic metal whereby when a pipe reaches the end of .its travel at the end of a the tank, it may be automatically pulled off its spindle and automatically transferred to a rinsing tank, first passing through a draining tank. Each spindle is rotated on its axis during its passage from one end to the other in the tank containing the solution and by reason of the motion of translationandthe motion of rotation the pipe is uniformly coated.

To increasethe capacity of the plating" apparatus we provide for carrying two parallel lines of pipes on a single conveyer and to avoid any interference with the-plating operation we support each pipe by interior contacts or engagement, like the spindle at one end and the plug at the other-end, and thus guard against any interference with the plating operation or any mechanical or electrical interference with the exterior of the pipe being plated.

When a pipe or pipes reach the end of travel it or they are withdrawn or discon-" nected at the spindle end, and a pair of arms are projected to receive the plated pipe or pipes, the arms are tilted and the pipes are deposited in a draining tank in which wheels, having projecting, radially arranged spokes or arms, transfes the tubes or pipes to a rinsing tank in which similar wheels, all rotating in the same direction,

deliver the pipe. An operator may next remove the aforesaid plug or plugs when used. 1

'The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1.is a top plan view; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view just inside the wall of the tank at the conveyer end; Fig.

electro-magnetic means'for detaching a pipe from its spindle atthe end of its travel with the arms for supporting the pipes and transferring them; Fig. 8 shows va, detail of the electro-magnetic disconnecting device for the pipe, and Fi 9 shows thelug with ing part of the plug.

In Fig. 1, 1: indicates a suitable tank means for expanding it within thetube, and j the head ofelectro-magnetic material formadapted to contain an electrolytic solution.

Arranged transversely at tlre top of the tank in place for supporting purposes, bars like 10 are located. The bars 1Qv support anode plateswz at-a suitable point within the solution, which plates are preferably insulated from the bars 10 when the latter are of metal. At b are anode plates shownv supported-"on longitudinal metal bars30 that are shown supported on insulating rails 31,

on the bottom of the tank. At 11 are metal bars, preferably of cop er, shown longiare brackets 0, shown having cross -bars 14 connecting the chains 12 and 13. Said bracls ets are in electrical circuit with bars 11 and the cross bars 14 are slidable upon the bars 11, said con'veyer serving as a support for said brackets. The chains of the conveyer are shown passing over suitable sprockets whereby the chains may be guided and rotated. Each bracket carries a bearing for a spindle, such as a pairof bearings like 15 and 16; Fig. 4, and between them is a bearing 17. The spindles s are to be rotated as the conveyer advances, for which purpose we have shown each of the bearings 15, 16 and 17 supporting a rotative wheel 19, 20, 21, the wheels 19 and 20 being connected to spindles 8. These spindles are tapering and are adapted to snugly fit the interior of the tube or pipe 00, the fit being such as to enable the spindle to support the tube and to admit the easy withdrawal of the tube. Means are provided to rotate said wheels, for which purpose we have shown a rack bar 22 engaging the wheels 20, as the latter advance. This causes the spindles to rotate and the third gear 21 causes both spindles to rotate in the same direction. On the side of the tank is a grooved bar 23 fixed in position ,to engage with a steadying roller 24, there being one 'such roller for each bracket 0. At the opposite side of'the tank there are angle bars 25 fixed on the wall adapted to support the corresponding ends of the .pipesm. We

have shown said bars 25 in positionto enga-ge with disks 26 of magnetic metal in the nature of armatures, fixed on the plugs 27 adapted to be fitted to the adjacent ends of pipes 00. Plug 27 is provided with a sleeve cure the plug and disk to tube or plpe m. The

28 having; a tapering head to engage with the interior of the free end of the tube :0.

The sleeve 28 is screw-threaded to engage with a screw thread on the plug 27; sleeve 28 is split and engages with a tapering exa pander 29 which is tubular and screwthreaded to engage with the screw thread on plug 27, the arrangement being such that expander 29 will operate to open the sleeve 28 when the disk 26 is rotated to temporarily seplug section 28 is preferably of non-conducting material and the gear wheels 19, 20, 21, are also ofnon-conductin material, as is the rack or rail 22. The metal bars a and b are electrically united and connected to the positive terminal of the dynamo d. The negative pole of the dynamo is connected to the when the cam or bars 11. It is to be noted that the brackets c are covered and protected by insulating material and on the spindle s as shown in Fig. 5 there is a bushing 33 of insulating material. The spindle .3 1s provided with a packing 34 and is held in position by a set screw 35 taking in agroove 36 in the shaft of the spindle.

After the termination of the electroplating of the pipes, as at the end of the movement of translation the pipes are removed by disconnecting them from the carrying spindles 8. To automatically remove the pipes or tubes from the spindles we have shown an electromagnet 40 located on a reciprocatingshaft 41, 0perated by a cam 42. A dynamo 43 is connected in circuit with the winding of the magnet 40 and with brush terminals 44 and 45. On-the surface of the cam wheel .42 there is a strip of conducting metal 46 which electrically unites the brushes 44 and 45 for approximately onehalfrotation of the cam or eccentric 42..

This operates to close the circuit through the magnet as the attraction of the magnet is sufficient to detach the pipe or pair of pipes from the spindles supporting them, Wheel 42 causes appropriate operation of rod 41. Immediately the pipes are detached from the spindles the pipes drop upon. a pair of arms 50, 51 that are pivoted at 52, 53, and are connected by a bar 54, that is shown slotted at 55 and 56..

A pin 57 connects the arm 50 to the slot 55 and the pin 58 connects the arm 51 with the slot 56 in bar 54. The bar 54 is connected with the reciprocating member 59, carried on the reciprocating arm 41, and the connection between 54 and 59 is such that the position of the arms 50 and 51 at one limit of the movement of the reciprocating rod 41 is that shown in full lines, while that at the opposite limit is shown in the broken line position F'i 7). It results from the g construction shown and described that when the magnet 40 attractsthe pipes or tubes as by attracting the disks 26 of magnetic. material, the arms 50 and 51 are 1 in the full line position, and as soon as the pipes or tubes are detached from the spindles at the initiation of the return movement of the magnet 40, that is the retraction of the magnet40, a pipe or pair of pipes drop on to the arms 50 and 51 when the circuit of-the'magnet is broken, and are caused to roll into position between a pair of spokes 61 on the wheel 60 in the draining tank 62. The arms 50, 51 are and the pipes are moved together into position where they are, projected upon the inof rod 41 movecblaterally to permit the pipes or tubes 1 clined plane 64' connecting draining tank 62 u with rinsing tank 63. In the rinsing tank 63 there are'wheels 70 similar to wheel 60,

The wheels 70 have regularly arranged spokes 71. The free ends of these spokeslike 64, and uniformly space them.

What we claim is:

1. In an electro-plating apparatus, the combination, with the plating apparatus, of a conveyer, a series of tapering spindles supported at right angles to said conveyer, a pinion on each spindle, .and 'a rack bar fixed along the lower run of said conveyer arranged to mesh with said pinions.

2. In an electro-plating apparatus, the

combination, with the tank, the liquid andelectric circuit, of a reciprocating electromagnetlc device, a series of armatures, one

for each object plated, a circuit for said magnet, and means for opening and closing said circuit at predetermined intervals.

'3. In an electro-plating apparatus, the combination of a tank, electrolytic liquid in the tank, a linked conveyer, a plurality ofv spindles supported upon said conveyer, means for rotating the spindles, and means for automatically removing the object coated from a spindle at a predetermined point in its movement.

v 4. In an" electro-{plating apparatus, the

combination of a tank, electrolytic liquid,-

, a linked-conveyer, a plurality of supporting devices arranged upon said conveyer,

means for rotating each supporting device and means for automatically releasing the objects plated at a predetermined point.

5. In an electro-pla'ting apparatus, the combination with the plating apparatus, of. means for automatically removing the plated object to a position outside the plating tank including an inclined plane normally .out of position and a device to change the position of said plane. 6. In -an electro-plating apparatus, the combination, with the plating apparatus, of

means for automatically and positively mov-' ing the object plated to a position outside the plating tankincluding a Plane supporting surface normally out of position anda device for reciprocating said surface.

7. In an electro-plating apparatus, the combination, with the plating apparatus, of

'electro-magnetic "means for automatically and positively detaching the ob ect plated and a device for transferring sald object to a position outside the plating tank consisting of a support and means. for changing the position of said support. I

8. In an el'ectro-pl-ating apparatus, the combination, with the plating apparatus, of a magnetic member connected with the object to be plated, an electfo-magnet, a reciprocating support for the magnet, and means I for causing the magnet to engage with said magnetic member and remove the object at 'a predetermined point.

9. In 'an electro-plating apparatus, the combination of a holder for the object to be plated, a reciprocating device for automatically and positively detaching the object plated, an inclined plane, normally out of position, adapted to receive the detached object, means for changing the position of said plane to receive the detached object after its release, and means wherebythe operation of said detaching device controls the position of said inclined plane.

10. In an elec'tro-plating apparatus, the combination, with the plating tank including the liquid,'the anode, thecircuit, and a conveyer, of means for detaching objects supported on said conveyer successively, said means consisting of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor and means for making and breaking said circuit at predetermined points in the movement of the conveyer.

11. In an electroplating apparatus, the

combination of a tank, an electroplating circuit and the liquid, of a conveyer having two lines of supporting devices whereby two rows of objects are supported in parallel, horizontal planes .within the liquid and gradually moved from one end of the tank to the other.

12. In an electro-plating apparatus the combination, with a tank, an electro-plating circuit and the liquid, of a conveyer having supports for a series of tubes consisting of a series of rotary spindles arranged transverse to the line of conveyer movement, said supports engaging each tube at one end thereof and translating it, within the liquid, from one end to the other of said tank.

13. In an electroplating apparatus, the

combination with the tank, the solution, an electric circuit and a conveyer, of a series of tapering spindles carried by said conveyer,'each of said spindles adapted to enter the end of a tube and support said tube in its passage from one end of the tank to the other.

14. In. an electroplatin; apparatus, th combination with the tan ,the solution, an

electric circuit and a conveyer, of a series of tapering, spindles carried by said conveyer, each of said spindles adapted to enter the end of a tube and support it in a horizontal plane, and a device to engage and de tach said tubes in succession.

15. In an electroplating apparatus, the

combination with the tank, the solution, an 1 combination of a tank, an electric circuit,

a conveyer, means on the conveyer to engage objects to be plated, a bar carried by the tank, disks to travel on the bar, and means to attach the disks to said objects for supporting their adjacent ends on the bar.

17. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination of a tank, an electric circuit, a conveyer, means on the conveyer to engage objects to be plated, a bar carried by the tank, disks to travel on the bar, and'expanding means connected With the disks to co-act with said objects to connect them With the objects.

18. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination of a tank, an electric circuit, conveyer, brackets carried by the ccnveyer,

conveyer, brackets carried by the conveyer,

rotative means carried by the conveyer to co-act With objects to be plated, meansto rotate said last named means, a bar to slida'bly co-act With the brackets, and means to steady the brackets as they travel With the conveyer.

20. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination of a tank, an electric circuit, a conveyer, brackets carried by the. conveyer, rotative means carried by the conveyer to co-act with objects to be plated, means to rotate said last named means, a bar to slidably co-act With the brackets, a bar carried by the tank, and means on the brackets to co-act with the bar as the brackets travel.

GERHARD 'll' POTTHGFF, KURT 'I. PQ-TTHQEF. 

